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Jeans escape is not the only way an atmosphere can be lost. If a planet doesn't have a magnetic field, the solar wind can directly erode the atmosphere (ionizi
by pfdietz 2y ago
Jeans escape is not the only way an atmosphere can be lost.
If a planet doesn't have a magnetic field, the solar wind can directly erode the atmosphere (ionizing molecules and carrying away the ions and electrons in the magnetic fields of the wind.)
- cryptonector 2y agoEven with a magnetic field the solar wind can erode the atmosphere, it's just slower.